To start off with today here is just a bit of an update for you all on the Lamotte family and the road we are currently on. We are currently working towards and waiting on boards for approval to go as Lieutenants to Warrnambool working under Captains Gordon & Dianne Main. We have done most of the necessary paperwork and now need to pass both the Divisional Board & Territorial Board before we can head down there. This is a very nervous time for us but having said that we have a real sense of peace that things will work out according to Gods plan and we just have to stay strong to His calling.
We had an amazing weekend this past one as we travelled to Geelong AGAIN for a Growing Healthy Corps Cluster training with four corps from the Western Victoria Division. This was a great opportunity for us to catch a glimpse of this and also to meet eight of Warrnambool's senior leaders and catch some of their passion and commitment. We are very excited about the opportunities that are available to us there in the future, and believe that Gods fingerprints are all over what is happening there.
Then I had the incredible privilege of sharing the word of God at Rowville on Sunday morning. As much as I was very nervous before hand I believe that God spoke to peoples hearts through me, How awesome is that !
On the Friday night Major Kelvin Merrett gave us some of the Salvation Army's history and one of the things he said has really stuck in my head these last couple of days it was a telegram that William Booth sent out to some of his key leaders with nothing more than one word "OTHERS!" I think some times we lose focus on the fact that we are called to spread the message of God to everyone and our main focus still has to be saving souls, and to do that our focus must be on others not on making ourselves comfortable or looking at how great we are doing.
To be saved, it costs NOTHING To be a disciple, it costs EVERYTHING. This is not about me it is about GOD!
Monday 23 July 2007
Monday 16 July 2007
God's Call
WOW ! How awesome is it that God has called Me ! Me, this very weak,failed attempt at a man, me the one who has let Him down so many times, ME! There are times I am blown away by the fact that Christ sees me as worthy of His call. There is just no way that I can do the things that He is asking me to do; by myself ! but that is what is so amazing about God, He doesn't ask us to do anything by ourselves, it is through His power.
This past weekend we have shared a great time at the Territorial Candidates Weekend. I never knew you could develop such great friendships in two days, we have had the privilege of attending these weekends before and I continue to be challenged and uplifted by the willingness of people to give their lives over to God, and say hear am I my Lord send me! It was a great weekend at times we laughed, at times we cried (thanks Cadet Darren!), at times we just sat and listened to the voice of God, at times we sang loud praises to God and through the whole weekend we were privileged to have great teaching. Despite all of these great times it was the chance to sit and talk with these new made friends that stood out to me over the weekend, to hear the call that God has placed on their lives, and the courage they have shown in being open to that Call, I thank them each for the way they touched our hearts and encouraged us to keep striving for what God desires of us.(Susan is standing behind me making me change everything from singular to plural, where would we be without the J's in this world! I think she is making a list of things I should change)
We are privileged to be on this journey and thank God for the fact that He chose us to be the Salt and the light for him, even if we don't believe we can do it. To quote the Territorial Candidates department " Give up your small ambitions and come,change the world!" Mark 8:34-35.
For those of you that I just met this past weekend or those that I had the chance to share with again I say thank you and would encourage you to stay strong to your call! For the rest of my friends reading this I hope this might challenge you to think of what God might be asking you to do, He is calling people are you listening. God Bless you each I promise I will try and post a new blog in the next couple of days.
1 Thessalonians 5:24
"The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it."
This past weekend we have shared a great time at the Territorial Candidates Weekend. I never knew you could develop such great friendships in two days, we have had the privilege of attending these weekends before and I continue to be challenged and uplifted by the willingness of people to give their lives over to God, and say hear am I my Lord send me! It was a great weekend at times we laughed, at times we cried (thanks Cadet Darren!), at times we just sat and listened to the voice of God, at times we sang loud praises to God and through the whole weekend we were privileged to have great teaching. Despite all of these great times it was the chance to sit and talk with these new made friends that stood out to me over the weekend, to hear the call that God has placed on their lives, and the courage they have shown in being open to that Call, I thank them each for the way they touched our hearts and encouraged us to keep striving for what God desires of us.(Susan is standing behind me making me change everything from singular to plural, where would we be without the J's in this world! I think she is making a list of things I should change)
We are privileged to be on this journey and thank God for the fact that He chose us to be the Salt and the light for him, even if we don't believe we can do it. To quote the Territorial Candidates department " Give up your small ambitions and come,change the world!" Mark 8:34-35.
For those of you that I just met this past weekend or those that I had the chance to share with again I say thank you and would encourage you to stay strong to your call! For the rest of my friends reading this I hope this might challenge you to think of what God might be asking you to do, He is calling people are you listening. God Bless you each I promise I will try and post a new blog in the next couple of days.
1 Thessalonians 5:24
"The one who calls you is faithful and He will do it."
Tuesday 10 July 2007
Weekend Travellers
It is going to be an amazing few weekends for the Lamotte family as we head towards full time ministry. This coming weekend we get to go to Geelong and participate in the Candidates Weekend, we are really looking forward to this opportunity of sharing with like minded people and just reflecting on Gods call on our lives, and what exactly He has planned for our immediate future. We are so lucky to be able to enjoy this time under the leadership of Majors Len and Marney Turner, and we are excited to get the chance to Worship with and learn from Commissioner Knaggs on the Sunday morning. The Salvation Army is truly lucky to have the Knaggs as the TC's, and we are looking forward to the opportunity of meeting them face to face and sharing some of our dreams with them and picking their brains.(If they will let us)
The following weekend we are going back to the Geelong Conference Centre to participate in lay leadership training as part of the growing healthy corps program(Paul Borden) with some of the leaders from the Western Vic. Cluster and a number of the leaders from Warrnambool. This will be a great time for us to learn, and also to meet some of the key leaders we hope to be working with shortly. This goes from Friday night until Saturday afternoon and then I am preaching at Rowville on that Sunday morning.
The next weekend the final weekend in July we are travelling to Warrnambool with the family to have a look at the facilities, meet the corps folk, and generally get a feel for the community that we could be living in shortly.This is such an exciting time and we pray that through this period God with have His hand firmly on us, and will guide the decisions that are being made.
As I have started doing my preparation for my sermon on the 22nd I have been reminded again that although we may fail many times God is a God of Love and forgiveness, and He has always got time to listen to us and support us even if we have turned our back on Him many times before.
My prayer for you all over these coming weeks is that you would experience the Love of God, and would have the courage to listen to His call on your lives; we have and I can assure you that I have never felt such an absolute peace in my heart as I do now. God Bless you each and I hope to catch up with you soon.
The following weekend we are going back to the Geelong Conference Centre to participate in lay leadership training as part of the growing healthy corps program(Paul Borden) with some of the leaders from the Western Vic. Cluster and a number of the leaders from Warrnambool. This will be a great time for us to learn, and also to meet some of the key leaders we hope to be working with shortly. This goes from Friday night until Saturday afternoon and then I am preaching at Rowville on that Sunday morning.
The next weekend the final weekend in July we are travelling to Warrnambool with the family to have a look at the facilities, meet the corps folk, and generally get a feel for the community that we could be living in shortly.This is such an exciting time and we pray that through this period God with have His hand firmly on us, and will guide the decisions that are being made.
As I have started doing my preparation for my sermon on the 22nd I have been reminded again that although we may fail many times God is a God of Love and forgiveness, and He has always got time to listen to us and support us even if we have turned our back on Him many times before.
My prayer for you all over these coming weeks is that you would experience the Love of God, and would have the courage to listen to His call on your lives; we have and I can assure you that I have never felt such an absolute peace in my heart as I do now. God Bless you each and I hope to catch up with you soon.
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